


Strange's School for Magical Misfits

by nerdblogfornerds



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Doctor Strange (2016) Spoilers, Gen, Magic Users, Mentor Stephen Strange, More tags to be added, Stephen Strange & Wong Friendship, Stephen Strange is a relcutant tutor, Thanos was defeated just fine thank you, William Lawson, because im not a coward, comic universe and cinemtatic universe crossover, ratings and warning and categories may be updated, retconning the russos, subtle wong x strange
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2020-10-05 21:49:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,311
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20495885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nerdblogfornerds/pseuds/nerdblogfornerds
Summary: After a boy mysteriously falls from the sky, Strange takes the magical mystery under his wing. With the arrival of another mischievious young adult, the Sorcerer Supreme has to solve the puzzling origins of these two before they do. Handling an amnesiac golden child and a flighty english savant is hard enough, but combine this with magic and you have a potion for disaster.





	1. Fallen Boy

The hospital smelled strongly of disinfectant, an all too clean smell that irritated your nose and eyes. Cleanliness was a necessity in this environment but left little for comfort. Patients moaned softly from beds. Visitors cried just outside shut doors. Sometimes, laughter could be heard, with soft and ordinary conversation. This was a place of misery, but also a place of work. Strange knew it well, knew the smell and chatter and sadness that came from a hospital environment.  
He was wearing non-descript clothing, hands tucked into his dark blue cardigan. No one paid him attention as he walked down the hall; maybe a few stray glances, but most people assume that you’re supposed to be there if you walk with purpose. Strange checked the hastily scrawled note by Wong, eyeing the room number he was to go to. And a name, of course. William Lawson.  
According to the information Wong had gathered, Lawson had fallen from the sky over New York City, landing on the roof of a building. Lucky for him he didn’t land on anything sharp. Even luckier was that other than a bruised body, he was relatively unharmed.  
Lawson was brought to the hospital, unconscious, and when he eventually woke up he was able to have a small conversation with a nurse (in which he revealed other than his own name, he knew very little about himself) when he began to exude strange magical energy and had to be sedated for fear he would harm himself or others. In most magical cases people assume you’ll hurt others.  
Strange almost walked past the room, having gone into his own mind to ponder the situation. He took two steps back and glanced in through the slightly ajar door. A nurse was in there with the sleeping boy, checking all the machines and conducting general upkeep.  
He slipped into the room quietly, clearing his throat and surprising her. She turned to him, hand on her chest, eyes slightly wide.  
“You didn’t half startle me,” she breathed, smiling sweetly a moment. He gave her a false smile in response.  
“Can you wake him up for me?” he asked, taking a step forward.  
Her smile faded and she glanced down at Lawson. “Um…” She turned her gaze back to Strange. “I can’t do that sir.”  
Strange nodded formally. “Of course. No of course you can’t. Could you go get the Doctor in charge of his care, I want him awake so I can talk to him.”  
“About what?” The nurse stood slightly defensively next to the bed.  
“His magic.” Strange looked at the dark-haired boy in the bed. “I’m here to take him off of your hands.”  
The nurse paused. “… I can’t leave him alone, I’m afraid.”  
Strange inwardly cursed. No of course, that was proper care methods, not to leave strangers with patients. He flashed her another false smile.  
“I’m his teacher, I taught him magic,” he lied. “I’m here to help him regain control.”  
“I’m sorry sir, I can’t leave him,” she told him firmly. “If you would like to step outside and go to the waiting room, I can discuss the situation with his Doctor and let you know.”  
Silently, hands still in his pockets, Strange watched the nurse. She was doing a very wonderful job, following procedure, being safe. Strange hated medical negligence and never more had he wished for it than in this moment.  
“Of course,” he said finally. “Of course. I can wait.”  
He began to walk to the door, opening it up and stepping into the doorway, waiting for her to follow him. Seeing him clearly ready to leave, she approached, reaching for the door so she could leave last.  
“I’m sorry,” he said suddenly.  
“For what-“  
With a twist of his hands and a spark of orange energy, she fell into a portal, which closed after her swiftly. His eyes shifted, looking down each length of the hall to make sure no one noticed, then shut the door. The nurse had just been sent to the roof; she would be fine, but probably wouldn’t be found for at least ten minutes. Maybe five if he was unlucky.  
Strange darted to the patients’ bed side and began to gently relieve him of his sedatives. It would take him a few minutes to wake up, so he continued carefully removing all tubing and needles in his body, careful not to mess with the machines, doing it in the right order to make the least amount of noise possible.  
Lawson began to mumble in his groggy state, slowly raising his hand to wipe over his face.  
“Waz happening….” He murmured, sniffing deeply as his eyelids fluttered.  
“Hello William, I am Doctor Strange,” Strange greeted, gently pushing a machine to the side so Lawson had space to get out of bed. “Would you like to get up?”  
“Not really…”  
“Too bad.” Being careful, Strange firmly grabbed William’s arm and pulled him to sit up.  
“How lucid are you William?” Strange asked, gently clicking his fingers in front of his face. Lawson frowned in response, slapping the shaking hand away.  
“Stop that- ugh-!” He placed his hands on his face again, breathing in deeply through the gap they left. “I feel weird.”  
“That would be the sedatives they gave you. You’re waking up very rapidly, but that was to be expected,” Strange told him, moving the railing on his bed to fold out of the way.  
“Why is that to be expected?” Lawson asked in confusion, sliding his hands down his face.  
“You fell from the sky and landed in one piece.” Strange looked into his eyes. “So, I assume swift healing.”  
Lawson couldn’t keep his eyes in one place but tried to meet Strange’s gaze. “Oh yeah… I forgot that happened.”  
With a step back, Strange gestured. “Out of bed now, if you can.”  
Lawson took a deep breath, glancing over the side of the bed. He took a moment, slowly twisting his hips and slipping his legs off over the side. At best, Strange had about a minute until someone noticed the Nurse was on the roof, or he was unlucky and was about to be caught.  
As Lawson began to slowly push himself off the bed, carefully supporting his weight on his feet, Strange could hear rapidly approaching footsteps. These people weren’t stepping as so much running. It really was his unlucky day.  
Swiftly Strange stepped forward, sliding his arm under Lawsons arm and around his back, supporting him on his feet. He pulled the boy close as he gestured, his magic sparking up and creating arcane circles in the air. The room lit up like the sun was setting within its confines, and Lawson grinned in awe.  
“That is so cool-!”  
Two guards burst into the room as the last remaining sparks of a portal disappeared against the wall, leaving the room empty.  
-  
Instantaneously, in another part of the city, Strange and Lawson stepped out onto the roof of the Sanctum, the air cold and the breeze strong.  
“Oh, that’s brisk, isn’t it?” Lawson said suddenly, giving a small laugh. “I can feel that all the way up. Also you can let me go now.”  
Strange loosened his grip on him slowly, testing to see if he could stand on his own. Lawson was shaky for a moment but quickly got his footing.  
“No seriously, I’m still in a hospital gown and it’s very cold up here,” he continued, his hands holding the gown down on his thighs so the wind didn’t reveal anything graphic. Strange looked him over, frowning slightly.  
“Don’t make me regret this, William.”  
“We’re not friends. Call me Lawson,” Lawson replied simply.  
Strange arched an eyebrow. “Why don’t we head inside so you can explain yourself.”  
Lawson gave a nod and a small smirk as he shuffled to the only visible door. “Goody. I get to tell you all three things I know about myself.”  
Oh yes, Strange was already beginning to regret this.  
He followed Lawson into the building, instructing him simply on which directions to go. The boy kept looking around, eyes wandering over every magical artefact, mysterious tapestry, and ancient tome. Quietly, he kept whispering things like “cool” and “oh wow”, and when they passed a red hanging cloak he gently whispered “dibs”. That made Strange smirk, gesturing for the cloak to clip onto his shoulders, revealing his true sorcerer attire under the glamour.  
“Stop,” Strange announced suddenly, placing a hand on Lawsons shoulder. He gently turned him to face a door. “In here.”  
He gave Strange a look. “I hope this leads somewhere I can change.” He pushed the door open. It was simply an office like space, full of books and a couple of magical knick-knacks, a desk and some chairs. He took a step in then paused. He turned slowly to look Strange over. “When did you change your clothes?”  
“About twenty seconds ago,” He replied simply. Strange gestured and there was a flash of orange light, transporting the pair over to the desk. He sat down behind the desk, gesturing with his hand so the door shut behind them. “Please, sit.”  
Lawson was silent a moment, glancing around. “I have to repeat, I’m not wearing pants, and my gown is done up at the back. There’s a gap. For my butt-“  
“Yes, you made your point. Several times.” Strange sighed and stood, marking an arcane symbol in the air then disappearing into a portal that pushed over him.  
Lawson was alone in the room. He held his breath as he looked around, eyes landing on all the shiny and magical paraphernalia. His eyes stopped on what looked like a dagger styled letter opener on the desk, leaning over to peer closely at it. He reached out, finger brushing the handle.  
“Ahem.”  
Lawson stood to full height and turned around. “Oh, hello- …” He clicked his fingers and pointed. “… Strange?” he asked.  
“Doctor Strange, yes,” he replied, holding out a small pile of clothes. Lawson took them slowly, looking at the pile carefully.  
“You want me to change here.”  
“Just pants are fine for now.” Strange moved away from him, walking around the desk to sit behind it. Again.  
Lawson put the pile on the chair, picking out the pants from the pile; they were plain but modern with an elastic waistband. Honestly, he had been a little worried he had to wear old fashioned pants to match the weird wizard aesthetic Strange had going on.  
“So,” Strange started. “You fell from the sky and landed on top of an office building in central New York.” Lawson glanced up as Strange spoke, leaning over to pull his pants on, one foot at a time. “You have no memories before this moment, but you know your name, William Lawson.”  
“That’s right,” he interrupted, sliding his undies up under his gown.  
“And you have magic.”  
“Also right.” He began to adjust his pants for comfort.  
“Do you know why you have an intense healing factor?” Strange asked, fingers steepled carefully in front of him.  
Lawson shook his head as he pulled a pair of trousers roughly from the pile he had been given. “Nope. I honestly assumed it had been magic that healed me.”  
“It probably was,” Strange replied. “But it doesn’t usually work like that. Healing happens after you are injured, not while you are being injured.”  
Lawson looked at him as he hopped on one foot, pulling his loose harem pants up one leg. “Like some kinda passive effect?”  
“Exactly.” Strange was a little surprised at how intelligent Lawson was being. From the way he acted, he had assumed he was a stupid teenager, but was getting the impression that he just acted foolish.  
After a couple more hops, Lawson managed to pull his trousers up under the gown, and pulled the hospital gown off all together, dropping it on the floor. It suddenly fell through the floor as Strange gestured, his ring lighting up as he sent the gown to the incinerator.  
“Huh. How do you do that?” Lawson asked, hands on his hips.  
“Magic.”  
Lawson gave him a withering look. “Really?”  
“What answer did you expect?” Strange asked, hiding his amusement. “Now.” He stood. “Grab your shirt. You’re going to stay here until we know what to do with you.”  
Lawson did as he was told, snatching the fabric from the chair as he frowned at the back of Strange’s salt and pepper hair. “We?” he repeated.  
The office door opened, and Wong stepped in, bowing his head to Strange. He looked over at the boy and paused, eyes trailing his skinny frame, black/grey hair and green eyes.  
“… I expected an adult,” he admitted.  
“That’s the first thing you say when you meet me, seriously?” Lawson, gesturing with his shirt loosely in his hand. “And I’m nineteen I’ll have you know, I’m practically an adult.”  
“Are you sure about that?” Strange asked.  
“Yes, I’m definitely nineteen,” Lawson replied with resolve, partially to himself. He gave a little frown when his sentence was done, glancing to the side to wonder if he really was thee age he somewhat remembered being.  
“That was not what he meant,” Wong asserted simply. “Please, come with me to your room.” Lawson looked up, paying attention again, eyes on Wong. “And I warn you, you will be locked in.”  
“What? Why?” Lawson asked. Wong simply turned, beginning to walk out.  
“You almost destroyed your hospital room the first time you woke up.”  
Lawson glanced up at Strange, but his expression was cold, arms folded. After a moment, he followed Wong. “That wasn’t my fault though!”  
“And yet, it still happened,” Wong replied, turning a corner with Lawson.  
Strange watched the pair go, his cape fluttering slowly around him. The boy didn’t seem to realise what kind of a danger he was and was oddly sound of mind for someone with serious amnesia. There was something else, too. Something Strange sensed about him that he didn’t trust…  
Ah well. As long as this boy was all he had to handle right now, he could handle the situation with ease.


	2. A Quick Introduction to Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wong convinces Strange to begin teaching Lawson magic.

Strange wandered into the kitchen (of course the Sanctum had one) in the early morning. He wanted his morning coffee, some toast, and to check up with some research he had been doing the night before whilst looking for William Lawson. Rather, he was searching for who William Lawson was. So far, he hadn’t found anyone in the US that was named William Lawson missing with his description, but that was what today was for. Maybe if they find his family, they could discover where his natural magic stemmed from.  
He almost missed Wong and Lawson sat at the table, Lawson wrapped up in his blanket and tiredly shoving store brand cereal into his mouth.  
“Good morning,” Wong greeted.  
Strange stopped at the counter, a little shocked to see anyone else up this early. “… Morning,” he said slowly, eyeing the pair as he took hold of the coffee pot. “So… he’s awake?”  
“Barely. I thought it best he begin training as soon as possible to stop him from causing damage in the Sanctum; to control his magic.” Wong had an empty plate in front of him and sipped slowly from a glass of juice. Strange appraised the situation a moment before turning to brew a new jug of coffee.  
“Good idea. You should take him to Kamar-Taj to begin proper training,” Strange replied, back to the pair. His feet were cold on the stone tiles, his cloak hovering nearby.  
“Actually,” Wong replied slowly. “I think it’s better he stays here, and be taught by you.”  
Strange spun around carefully “… No.”  
“Strange, please consider-“  
“I’m not a teacher. I’m barely a student.”  
“He already has magic, you just have to help him direct it. Half of the job is done for you.” Wong stood up and took a step towards Strange. “I have complete faith in you.”  
He watched him a second, eyes wide. “You… You’re not even going to help?”  
“Nope.” Wong turned, taking his now empty glass and plate and walking around Strange to leave them in the sink.  
“Oh no, stop, you know I hate it when you do that,” Strange whined as Wong ignored him, skirting around his body and giving his cape a respectful nod. Strange turned to watch Wong leave with an incredulous expression.  
“You’re just going to leave?”  
“Someone has to continue to search for the boy’s family while you train him,” Wong replied, stepping out of the room.  
There was a gentle clinking sound as Lawson put his spoon in his bowl, sighing softly. It took Strange a few moments to pull himself together and turn to the boy, still surprised and frustrated at Wong. He did this (leave tasks or Strange that he didn’t want to do) more often than Strange was comfortable with. Of course, Wong usually knew what he was doing, but it didn’t mean Strange had to be happy about it.  
He watched Lawson lean his elbow on the table, his face sagging into his palm. His eyes were half closed, the blanket draped over his shoulders.  
Strange sighed.  
“Alright.” He stepped closer and clapped his hands suddenly near Lawsons face, startling him to sit up suddenly.  
“Could you STOP waking me like that?!” he snapped, glaring up at Strange.  
“Go get dressed and meet me in the hall,” he instructed. He held his arm out so his cloak could float over, folding gently over his arm. Lawson watched his cape move on its own for a moment, seemed to want to say something, then thought better of it.  
“You uh…” he finally dragged his eyes back to Strange’s face. “You’re going to let me actually walk around here on my own.”  
“Yes,” he replied. “If you steal something, it only has one place to go- your bedroom. Which is still in here. And if you begin to mess with anything-“ Strange leant in close. “I will know.”  
Lawson maintained eye contact for a moment, before giving his head a little sideways tilt, bottom lip twitching up for a momentary ‘not bad’ expression.  
“That makes sense.”  
He stood up from the table, holding his blanket with arms across his chest, trailing like a cape behind him. Strange appraised him curiously a moment before he realised that he had left his cereal bowl behind.  
“Um-?!” he picked it up and turned to yell at Lawson about it, but he had raced out of the room. Strange sagged slightly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he carried everything to the sink. He cleaned up after everyone, had his coffee and a quick breakfast, before changing for training.  
Strange had never trained someone else before, and both of his teachers were now notably absent. It left a hollow feeling in his chest as he thought about it. He didn’t really have anyone to ask for advice before he begun; and on that note, where did he even start? At least they were meeting in the entrance hall, it had faced destruction and strong magic before, and it would be the best open place to start, especially since Kamar-Taj apparently wasn’t an option.  
That would have made his life easier. He pinched the bridge off his nose as he stood in front of his mirror. Yes, but handing the boy off to trained professionals who know how to teach would have been too easy. He had to it.  
Strange made sure his infinity stone was aptly hidden in the folds of his clothes, wiping non-existent dust down off of his chest, before pulling away from the mirror. He didn’t feel like a teacher. Or look like one. Honestly, he felt a little silly.  
Lawson was stood in the entrance hall, waiting for Strange as he made his was down the stairs. It took Lawson a few moments to hear his approach, glancing up at the sorcerer. He had been picking at the hem of his training robes, and his expression quickly turned to awe. Though Strange felt foolish, he quickly remembered that he didn’t look it. Strange had been mocked (and had himself mocked) his attire and the whole magic thing, but it was hard not to take him seriously. Even his brief meeting with Tony Stark had left Stark flustered, and the God Loki had been no match for his magic prowess.  
He could do this.  
“When do I get robes like that?” Lawson asked as Strange stepped off of the bottom stair.  
“When you become the Sorcerer Supreme,” Strange replied simply, winding his hands slowly around each other, practising a simple spells motions.  
“When does that happen?” Lawson whispered, excitement rising in his voice.  
“When I die.”  
Lawson’s face fell into a frown, pouting at Strange; which he pretended not to see. His hands continued to move, concentrating on how he held himself, where his fingers were. After a moment he stopped and simply opened a portal about a foot wide in the air in front of him.  
He reached both hands in as Lawson stared.  
“This was how you got me out of the hospital, right?” he asked. He took a few unsure steps forward as he stared at the sparking orange magic. “How do you do that?”  
Strange pulled a small pile of books out of the portal which closed rapidly behind him.  
“You need three things,” he began, holding the pile of books out to Lawson. “You need to study, firstly.”  
Lawson grimaced as he took the pile, grunting slightly at weight on his skinny frame. “What else?”  
“Secondly, practise,” Strange continued. He took a strong stance, holding his arms out and gesturing in a circle, opening a large person-sized portal in front of them. As the magic spiralled and opened up the space, Lawson quickly recognised the room he had been given in the Sanctum. He looked at Strange expectantly who simply gestured into the room with his head. Slowly, Lawson stepped in, looking around his room and the portal that had opened in front of his bedroom door. He put the books on his desk before returning to the entranceway next to Strange. Strange lowered his hands swiftly, shutting the portal with a gentle snapping noise.  
“Thirdly?” Lawson asked, waving his hand in the space the portal had been. Strange raised his hand, the back of it facing Lawson who took a moment to glance out of the empty space and at his tutor.  
“A ring.”  
“…. Why a ring?” Lawson asked.  
Strange lowered his hand. “That is a sling ring. You need them to make any sort of portal. It is special and ONLY given when you practise and study.”  
Lawson watched him a few moments. “… Soooo, those were portal books? Will I be thinking with portals?”  
“One of them was,” Strange replied, beginning to walk around Lawson, hand folded behind his back. “The other books are on technique, how to root yourself and understand channelling, magical theory,-“  
Lawson’s eyes began to roll back into his head.  
“- Magical history, personal explorations of magic, different origins of magic-“  
“Wait,” Lawson interrupted suddenly, his head snapping back into place. “Origins? Isn’t magic just… magic?”  
“No. Much like art, every country has its own origins and history, and every person their own personal style. However, much like science, all magic has the same outcomes. A potion spent ten years charging in the light of full moons can be done in ten minutes of a fully practised sorcerer in the light of one moon. Some may practise vocal channelling while others movement. Sorcerers focus on movement and understanding. Knowledge.” Strange gestured in the air vaguely. “You could do the movements a million times but until you understand them, they do nothing. Only through knowing can we-“  
Lawson had begun to fake snore, head dipped low, arms folded across his chest. The strength of Strange’s glare would have withered any man, if the man was actually paying attention.  
“… LAWSON,” he barked, the boy snapping his head to attention with wide eyes. There was a second of silence, as Strange instantly calmed. “Do you want to practise, or not?”  
He was silent for a few moments, watching the older gentleman. After a moment he gave a short nod. “Yes. I do.”  
“Good.”  
“I have a question though.”  
Inside, strange felt part of him wither, as he did his best not to sigh loudly. This boy would be the death of him. “What. What is it.”  
“Why aren't I going to camel-toe?” he asked casually.  
“Kamar-taj.”  
Lawson nodded. “Yeah, there.”  
He breathed in deeply. “Because,” Strange started slowly. “I can teach you just fine. And you would annoy all the teachers there too much. They would simply send you back.”  
“Is that the real reason? Or did Wong-“  
“Master Wong.”  
“-Just make the decision for you?” The grin on Lawsons face looked very satisfied, hands behind his back. Strange took his time to respond.  
“Because I trust him,” he replied honestly, the smirk fading on the boys’ face. “It’s a thing friends have. Something no one has in you.”  
Now the grin had disappeared entirely, his brow lowered. Strange felt a little guilty but Lawson obviously didn’t have any respect, and until he could respect other’s he wouldn’t get any for himself.  
“Right,” was all he had to say about that.  
The pair moved into an even distance from one another as Strange conducted their movements. Lawson did as he was told silently until Strange was about to speak again.  
“One more question.”  
Strange glared.  
“A serious one, this time.”  
The glare eased and the doctor raised his chin. “What is it?”  
“Why don’t you have any other students?”  
Before Strange could possibly answer the question, there was a knock on the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It only took me like three months to update thats good for me. Also this is sort of a shorter chapter to get Lawson up to speed with what Strange does etc.

**Author's Note:**

> The basic premise is... Strange is a col character. Magic is cool. Let's put more magic together. Make some chaos.
> 
> Also, if you weren't aware, this is a MCU and Marvel Comic crossover sort of thing! I've had this idea a while, and as I will be including another canon comic magic user (a high five for anyone who can guess who the next character to be introduced will be) I also need like... more? So if anyone has any magic user recomendations to add, I'd love to hear them!
> 
> Also- if you've read the comics and know what kind of plots/characters backstories might be coming up, please don't spoil my fic for others?!?! ‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )‧º·˚
> 
> (final note- unlike other people, im not a coward. we all know if Wong was skinny he would be hella shipped with Strange and i for one wont stand for this kind of disrespect. if you sense they are gently domestic, good, you should, because they are)  



End file.
